Wishverse drabbles
by Lenidrabbles
Summary: A wish can create a whole universe in the Jossverse. Stories set in that alternate 'verse. There might be drabbles in Normal'verse or Birthday'verse.
1. Oz, Willow, Xander

**A Little Too Late.**

Oz entered the library and noticed that it was deserted.

Weird.

Nobody behind the computer, helping when he supposedly couldn't find a book.

The chairs were empty, no soft voice explaining algebra.

Oz frowned.

"Can I help you?"

The librarian.

Of course.

"I was looking for…" Oz stopped abruptly. He still ignored her name. "There's always this girl here," he explained, " a cute one. Redhead."

The man's face darkened. "I'm sorry, son." He put his hand on Oz's shoulder. "Willow is-"

Oz didn't hear the rest. Closing his eyes, he remembered sweet smiles and shy words lost forever now.

**From The Ashes.**

"You were asking for Willow."

Oz nodded slowly.

"You liked her."

Silence.

"She liked you, too. I was just convincing her to ask you out when…" Deep breath. "Would have made matters a lot easier if you had asked first, you know? Willow was the best." After a pause he added, "After Jesse died we were all each other had." This time the smile was directed at Oz. "It's good to know that someone else remembers her."

Oz tried a comforting smile.

"Well Daniel." It was goodbye. "Nice meeting you."

Oz decided quickly. "It's Oz."

A warm smile. "I'm Xander."

**Misery Loves Company.**

"You were in love with her."

"In love?" Xander looked thoughtful. "Maybe, " he conceded. "But I'm sure I loved Willow more than anybody else." He paused, as if weighting the pros and cons of a great revelation. "But Oz…" he finally said, "you would have loved her better."

Silence.

The next day they talked about sports and music. Days later Xander confessed about the extracurricular activities in the library. Soon Oz abandoned his guitar and learned how to hit the heart in the midst of a fight.

By the end of the next month, Alexander Harris was already dead.

**The Beginning of Another End.**

"She came last night."

Oz stopped his reading. A worried tone crept into his voice. "Are you okay?"

"Yes…" Xander hid his face behind his large book. "She said that she came for me, That she'd protect my family if I went to her."

Oz frowned. "Did you believe her?"

Xander laughed bitterly and stared directly into Oz's eyes. "We were everything for each other, man. Everything," he said, as if that explained everything.

To Oz it did. He nodded, understanding that sometimes 'choice' was only a pretty word in the dictionary. Especially when the world was turned upside down.

**All Things Left...**

The next day Daniel Osbourne found a picture in his locker.

A cute redhead with her grinning companion. She wore a 'Birthday Girl' t-shirt and looked blissful with her arms around Xander's waist.

Oz stared at them for what seemed an eternity, finally turning the snapshot around when it became difficult to look at their happy expressions.

"Please remember us," read in Xander's messy handwriting.

"Please remember us." The purple ink came from Willow's favourite pen, the one Xander borrowed and never gave back.

_Please remember us._

For the first time since this nightmare had begun, Oz let himself cry.


	2. Giles

**Expectations**

It was perfect. Giles glanced proudly at the room: he'd successfully turned the old library into an adequate training room. More importantly, it was done in such a way that nobody noticed. Principal Flutie had even commended him for his initiative!

Everything was ready. He had gone to great pains to gather these books and weapons, but the effort was worth it if he was prepared to welcome his charge. Giles smiled; this was exactly how he'd hoped it would begin.

So what if his Slayer was taking a bit too long in coming? He just had to have faith.

**Resignation**

It was discouraging.

Sweet Willow had murdered his Jenny not a month ago; Anna and Xander had disappeared last weekend and poor Daniel had found his best friend's body tucked cruelly in his van's driver seat.

How to keep his faith when the list of the fallen got longer every night? Giles didn't even have the heart anymore to give speeches to the amateur fighters, how to lecture about the victory of good when evil was preying on them?

Giles looked at the small army – at the _kids_ - and wondered which face he wouldn't see this time next week.

**Hope**

If Cordelia's world came back the last months would disappear, the countless loses in California and the world wouldn't be anymore. But there was a price; that precious _awareness_ that had awakened through humans would be gone. They'd go back to blind ignorance.

But this awareness was born from attacks too merciless to be ignored. Was it really worth it?

Giles took the necklace. This was a war, a living nightmare that had lasted too long. He wouldn't - _couldn't_ - pass a chance to right everything. Before the light engulfed him, Giles felt something like faith finally reclaiming him.


End file.
